Exploring the Effect of Individual and Group Level Factors on the Level of Rural Residents’ Domestic Waste Sorting: Evidence from Shaanxi, China

Abstract

Rural residents are the main agents of rural domestic waste-sorting; their level of sorting directly relates to the improvement of their rural living environment and the construction of “beautiful countryside”. Considering the data of 943 rural residents in Shaanxi Province, China, this study incorporates the factors at the individual and group levels and explores how personal norms and mianzi, which is the individual’s reputation and social status, at the individual level and social capital at the group level impact the level of rural residents’ domestic waste-sorting through an Ordered Probit model. The results show that personal norms and mianzi at the individual level play an important role in improving the level of rural residents’ domestic waste-sorting. Meanwhile, social capital (i.e., social networking, social trust, social participation, and social norms) at the group level has significant positive impacts on the level of rural residents’ domestic waste-sorting. Furthermore, mianzi plays a moderating role between personal norms, social capital, and the level of rural residents’ domestic waste-sorting, respectively. These findings are useful for the Chinese government to formulate a policy about enhancing the level of rural residents’ domestic waste-sorting to ease the rural environmental problem.

How does digital governance affect the level of domestic waste separation for rural residents? Empirical evidence from rural areas in Jiangsu Province, China

“…In rural China, which has been a typical acquaintance society since ancient times, social networks are formed through kinship, blood and local ties, and cultures such as human kindness and face( mianzi ) are deeply rooted in the soil of the vernacular social network and have an important influence on the functioning of the rural social ecology ( 48 ). It was shown that social networks can increase rural residents' familiarity, reduce uncertainty in making behavioral decisions, and increase their level of domestic waste separation ( 49 – 51 ). In addition, the social network formed by the cadre-mass relationship can also enhance the flow and exchange of information and increase the level of trust among each other, thus promoting the participation of rural residents in rural environmental governance ( 52 ).…”